Sizzle, smoke and salt: The irresistible claypot pork lard rice at Chong’s Cuisine in Melaka

March 31, 2026
9:05 am

MELAKA, March 31 — The claypot comes to the table still spitting and hissing, holding fast to its heat.

Inside, the rice has been cooked just enough at the base to form the thin, much-desired crust.

Fried eggs lie nestled atop the rice, their edges frilled and crisp. Croutons of fried pork lard are scattered amongst the gleaming grains; each nugget promises utter indulgence.

The aroma rises as swiftly as our appetites. Sizzle, smoke and salt. Simply irresistible.

This is the signature claypot pork lard rice at Chong’s Cuisine Restaurant.

The restaurant is located in the popular Malaccan neighbourhood of Kota Laksamana. — Picture by CK Lim

Located in the lively neighbourhood of Kota Laksamana, the restaurant sits slightly apart from the stretches of touristy cafés; we find it along a more secluded street hidden from the noisier main road.

Which makes Chong’s Cuisine a bit of a hidden gem in Melaka, known mainly by locals and for everyone else, a place to be discovered.

We are, fortunately, guided by a Malaccan foodie; she also advised us to visit on weekdays as families swarm the restaurant on Saturdays and Sundays. Failing that, she recommends calling in advance and reserving a table.

Is it worth all the fuss though, we wondered?

First pour the sauce over the rice. — Picture by CK Lim

Back at our table, the still sputtering claypot clamours for attention, ready to provide an answer.

Before that revelation, however, we reach for the small porcelain pitcher of sauce – thick, glossy and as dark as sin (if the sin be gluttony, that is) – and pour it over the rice.

There is a certain mysterious magic as to how the sauce first gathers on the surface before seeping in, staining the grains a deep mahogany.

Mix everything together. — Picture by CK Lim

We begin to mix. Not gently, but with proper elbow strength. The eggs break apart, their yolks coating the rice and the pork lard.

From the bottom, we scrape up the crisped layer, spreading its toasted bitterness throughout. At first it resists our spoons. Then, all at once, it gives way most satisfyingly.

Only then does it feel complete. Served into smaller bowls, and quickly passed around while it is still hot.

Stir-fried sweet potato leaves. — Picture by CK Lim

We taste a little of everything: savoury and sweet, edged with caramel; the crunch of the pork lard, full of flavourful fat; the brittle crackle of the excavated crust; the doubtlessly divine fragrance.

There is always more to come, of course. While this is good enough to eat on its own, it would be foolish indeed to snag a table here only to order claypot rice, even if it is their standard bearer.

Some greens are a must. The stir-fried sweet potato leaves glisten with oil yet remain light. The dish tastes fresh, redolent of barely charred garlic and ample wok hei.

Pumpkin beancurd. — Picture by CK Lim

Next, the highly recommended pumpkin beancurd. Made in-house, the tofu carries a subtle sweetness from the pumpkin within.

Cut into thick pieces and fried before being doused with a minced pork gravy, expect a delicate crust that yields to a custard-soft centre.

Another must order is the Hakka cartilage pot. Here is an unctuous pairing of braised pork and whole chicken feet.

The bones themselves have softened to the point of collapse, dissolving as we chew, leaving behind only their essence.

Hakka cartilage pot. — Picture by CK Lim

Then comes the fried siew yoke, a dish that sounds straightforward but surprises us nonetheless.

Here, roasted pork is stir-fried with dark soy sauce, dried red chillies and green onions. A garnish of fresh coriander leaves balances the salt and the fat, the burn from the chillies.

By the end of our sumptuous meal, when our server asks if we’d like some dessert, we have to politely decline. There is no room for it!